Return from the Dark
by Glowingsoul
Summary: A cat from the Dark Forest regrets his choices and wants nothing more than to be a part of StarClan but what he has done to get to the Dark Forest shadows StarClans judgement of him. Will he ever get to the place he longs to get to? Rated T for violence in later chapters.
1. Prologue and Alliances

_I am the spring of many_ rivers of blood that have turned the earth red. I have controlled both earth and sky without coming from either. I have sunken my claws into more body's of cats than of prey. I have made even the bravest warriors shiver at the mere mentioning of my name. I have walked paths at night that even the darkest souls could not dare to tread at day. I have faced the stars, dared the omens and escaped the prophecies so many times I cannot remember.

My name is Darkblaze. This is my story.

**FIRECLAN**

**Willy&Proud**

**LEADER**

**REEDSTAR—**pale ginger she-cat, blue eyes

**DEPUTY**

**STUMPYFOOT—**brown tabby tom with a damaged paw, blue eyes

**MEDICINE CAT**

**LIGHTTAIL—**pale brown she-cat, green eyes **APPRENTICE,FENNELSONG**

**WARRIORS**

(toms, and she-cats without kits)

**DAWNPELT—**pale brown she-cat, amber eyes **APPRENTICE, TWIGPAW**

**DAPPLECOAT—**beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat, amber eyes **APPRENTICE, FERNPAW**

**BRACKENFACE—**golden-brown tabby tom, yellow eyes **APPRENTICE, SNAKEPAW**

**RABBITPACE—**swift dark ginger tom, brown eyes **APPRENTICE, ANTPAW**

**FEATHEREAR—**pale silver and pale gray she-cat with long fur at the ear tips, blue eyes** APPRENTICE,BOULDERPAW**

**GORSELEAF—**gray tom, brown eyes** APPRENTICE,TURFPAW**

**SNOWLEG—**white tom, yellow eyes **APPRENTICE, EMBERPAW**

**SHATTEREYE—**silver she-cat, dark blue eyes, her right eye is scarred and blind

**SMOKESONG—**gray long-furred she-cat, green eyes **APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW**

**SMUTLEG—**long-limbed gray tom, blue eyes **APPRENTICE, MINTPAW**

**BRITTLECLAW—**brown tabby tom, amber eyes **APPRENTICE, BROWNPAW**

**FROSTFLOWER—**silverish-white she-cat, dark blue eyes

**BEARCLAW—**big, muscular, brown tom, brown eyes, strong and unusually long claws

**TWINKLEEYE—**small black she-cat, blue-gray eyes

**MERLWING—**black she-cat with white front paws, chest and throat, yellow eyes **APPRENTICE, LIONPAW**

**GOWANTREE—**small pretty tortoiseshell, blue eyes

**GINKGOWHISKER—**pale brown tabby she-cat, green eyes

**MARTENTAIL—**reddish-brown tom with a short tail, blue eyes

**STORKFEATHER—**white she-cat with black haunches, yellow eyes

**WHITEDRIFT—**white tom, amber eyes

**WETSTEP—**small tabby tom with white front paws, blue eyes

**DEWCOAT—**white she-cat with silver ears, blue eyes

**LEOPARDFUR—**unusually spotted, golden she-cat, amber eyes

**TIGERPROWL—**dark tabby tom, green eyes

**BOULDERFOOT—**dark gray tom, blue eyes

**TURFMASK—**mottled ginger tom, brown eyes

**APPRENTICES**

(more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**FENNELSONG—**brown tabby she-cat, green eyes

**WHITEPAW—**white she-cat, green eyes

**BROWNPAW—**brown tabby tom, blue eyes

**TWIGPAW—**tabby she-cat, hazel eyes

**LIONPAW—**golden tom, brown eyes

**FERNPAW—**pale ginger she-cat, green eyes

**SNAKEPAW—**tortoiseshell tom, amber eyes

**ANTPAW—**small brown tom, brown eyes

**EMBERPAW—**black tom with small ginger splotches, blue eyes

**MINTPAW—**gray she-cat, mint-green eyes

**QUEENS**

(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**MOSSHEART—**dark and light brown patched pelt, amber eyes

**PETALLEAF—**cream colored, blue eyes

**SANDPELT—**pale ginger with white paws, green eyes

**ELDERS**

(former warriors and queens, now retired)

**FEATHERCLOUD—**silver she-cat, brown eyes

**PEATCLAW—**once handsome brown tom, amber eyes

**MOLEFOOT—**elderly, black tom, brown eyes

**GRITFUR—**dark gray she-cat, amber eyes

**SNEEZEPELT—**dark brown and gray tabby tom, amber eyes

**KITS**(toms and she-cats too young to be an apprentice) (= mother)

**OTTERKIT—**dark brown tom, yellow eyes **PETALLEAF**

**ROBINKIT—**cream-colored tom, reddish chest, blue eyes **&**

**DUSKKIT—**brown she-cat, gray eyes **BRACKENFACE**

**COPPERKIT—**reddish she-cat, green eyes **SANDPELT**

**DARK-KIT—**dark tabby tom with darker stripes and faint **&**

red-brown and golden stripes that you can only** RABBITPACE**

see in the sun, hard dark green eyes

**RATKIT—**brown tom, long claws, brown eyes **MOSSHEART**

**WOODKIT—**big brown tabby tom, amber eyes **&**

**BEARCLAW**


	2. Chap1-Blind Blood

_He hates these woods, dark and_ eerie without the slightest hint of another living soul. Only at rare times he comes across another prisoner of this forest. A place where darkness rules with such a tight grip that even prey won't wonder to this place. Not that he needs it anymore; it is just an amusing pastime to hunt it, especially in this lonely place. You can't even see the stars because a fluorescing green fog hangs above everything including the sky that is pitch-black. However this doesn't bother him. He hates the stars. They betrayed him when he needed them most. Coldheartedly stabbed him in the back when he was weakest and in greatest trouble. They sent him to this place, this dark and pitiful forest.

And still he longs for them, longs for them so badly that it burns him from the inside. It is like a kitten longing for its mother's soothing licks after she has given it a bad scolding. Only his situation is totally different, by far worse than that of a pathetic kit. The stars have not scolded but abandoned him, dropped him like a rotten piece of prey. They punished him for something that was entirely their fault. They didn't even give him a whisker's width of a chance to explain.

He yowls angrily and slams his claws into the soggy earth so that they leave deep scorches. His whole body shivers with rage. Everything is only visible through a layer of red colors.

In this moment a cat is unfortunate enough to cross his way. He can vaguely remind himself that he had seen him on a few occasions. When the tom shoots him a questioning glance he growls at him. He can't use any company right now. However the tom doesn't move but asks:

"What's wrong?" _How could a cat like this ever get to this place?_

"Get your furry face out of my sight." He growls at the tom, who just lays his head to one side in a puzzled manner. _Maybe he grew insane during his stay. _

He growls and hisses at him again, the red curtain is still present. It builds up a pressure in him that makes him ready to explode. Blood rushes through his head and his pulse hammers inside his skull. His fur stands on end.

Suddenly his claws are smeared with a hot, sticky liquid. Blood. It makes his paws leave red prints while he runs through the woods. _Where is this other tom?_ He wonders. He casts a swift glance behind him and sees a heap of fur lying on the ground, around him a crimson puddle spreads steadily.


	3. Chap2-First Sight

_The first thing he saw when_ he opened his eyes was a bright streak of light falling directly into his dark emerald eyes. He squinted them shut again, startled that the world outside was such a light place. Now he could only see a bright orange background with little blue colors bobbing in and out of his sight. A scene he had watched the last few days, turning darker at times. Curiously at the same time when he was growing tired.

After a while he decided that he couldn't keep his eyes shut forever and if he opened them he also might be able to find out why it would always turn darker when he was feeling tired. Cautiously he lifted his eyelids one more time. The light was still shining into his eye but he noticed that when he shifted his head a little to one side that ray would fall past him. _But where does the light come from?_ He carefully stood up on his small paws and took his first careful steps. They were a bit wobbly at first but he got used to it quickly.

He was about to reach the entrance to the nursery when something clapped down his tail and made him fall.

"Dark-kit, where do you think you're going?" he recognized the voice; he turned around and looked at his mother for the first time. She was a pretty pale ginger cat with neat white front paws and laughing green eyes. _Do I look like her as well?_ He marveled. He shot a quick glance down his side. No, he had a dark brown pelt with even darker stripes. As he was standing in the light he could see that his coat held a soft golden and red shine. Sandpelt purred and lifted him by his scruff and carried him back to her nest where he was dropped next to his red sister Copperkit.

"I see you have opened your eyes." She purred fondly after she had settled back down and licked him over the head. Then she asked: "What did you want to do outside?"

"I want to know where the light comes from." He defended his small trip. Sandpelt shook with purrs at his answer. He felt a little offended. _Why is she laughing?_ After all the source of the light wasn't a very obvious thing to know, was it? Sandpelt seemed to think it was, maybe he should ask her.

"Mommy, do you know where the light comes from?" he looked at her with big eyes, marveled by the idea that she would know so much about the outside. It annoyed him a bit as well but he calmed himself by thinking that he would ask her everything and then know as much as her.

"Sure I can tell you. It comes from the sun that hangs in the sky. It rises every morning when you wake up and sets every night when you go to sleep." _That's why it's so dark when I am tired._

"And does the sun sleep at night?" he asked. Sandpelt nodded.

"I guess. However the night is not always completely dark, because on most nights the moon gives light at night." She explained.

"On _most_ nights? Where is it on the other nights?" he was puzzled.

"It is always there but sometimes it is just a slim crescent or hides its face so you cannot see it at all. And on other nights it is full and round." He nodded deep in thoughts. He had to think about this for some time but before he would turn on thinking he had one more question.

"Is there anything else in the sky?" Sandpelt seemed surprised by this question.

"Yes, in fact, there are the stars. They are our dead warrior ancestors that watch over us and guide us at all times."

"All the time?" he asked, disbelieves clearly showing on his face.

"Yes, all the time." Sandpelt said and purred as she saw his mystified expression. _That must be a lot of work for them. Are they never growing tired?_ He was about to ask his question when Copperkit stirred next to him. Excitement surged through him at the thought of having someone to play and explore the world with.

He waited patiently for her to get accustomed to her new eyesight. He saw her blink several times and carefully watch the nursery. She shot a swift glance at the golden shaft of light the gathered in a bright patch on the ground. She dabbed at it carefully with a paw but when nothing happened she turned away, bored. Suddenly she rounded on him and fixed him with her big green eyes.

"Hey Dark-kit." She mewed cheerfully. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too." He answered. Then he looked up at his mother. "Can we go outside and play now?"

"Just one moment." She and turned on Copperkit. "Hello my dear. It is nice to see you have opened your eyes." She gave her daughter a lick and purred happily.

"Can we go out now?" He asked impatiently.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay inside for a while longer?" Sandpelt asked, obviously not as eager as he was to have him leave the nursery.

"Oh Sandpelt, I would let them if I were you. You will never have a rest from their pleading otherwise." Petalleaf spoke from across the nursery. The cream-colored queen was lying farther in the back, surrounded by her own three kits, which were sleeping merrily.

"I think Petalleaf is right." Dark-kit declared and set off to walk through the entrance.

"Hold on, Dark-kit." Sandpelt said, planting her paw in front of her son. He turned around to face her, annoyance and confusion mingling in his face. "Do not get under any of the warriors' paws, understand? And try not to cause too much trouble, will you dear?" He sighed and nodded.

"Of course not mom. We will not get into any trouble." He promised solemnly. Sandpelt took away her paw and he bolted straight out of the nursery, calling for his sister to follow while he ran.

Outside of the nursery he was overwhelmed by the vastness of everything, huge spaces, giant trees that reached enormously high into the blue sky and cast their grand shadows over the camp. And between them he could see it. A brilliant bright, yellow ball of light. The sun. He couldn't look at it for long because it would hurt his eyes but he had seen it. While he was still running to the middle of the camp he scanned his surroundings.

Everything was so much bigger than he had imagined, so much more real, the vibrant dark green of the pine needles, their reddish bark. The fresh pungent smell of pines and earth and air and grass, tingled in his nose. Because of all this and because running was yet unusual to him and he had no experience with stopping, his first appearance to the clan was rather humiliating. All the new sights had made him pay no more attention to his feet so that he stumbled over his own paws and fell onto the hard packed earth that was covered with springy, dried, honey colored pine needles.

Copperkit must have had the same complications because he could felt something cannoning into his hindquarters and hear the huff of his sister as the air was knocked out of her.

"Hello you two." He looked up to find Gowantree, a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, looking down at them. Laughter was sparking in her blue eyes. "You are Sandpelt's new litter, aren't you? Is this your first time out of the nursery?" Before he answered he got to his feet as quickly as he could, trying to keep as much dignity as possible. Copperkit scrambled to her feet as well and smoothed her ruffled, bright copper-red fur.

"Yes, Sandpelt is our mother." He said to answer Gowantree's first question.

"And this is the first time we see the camp." Copperkit answered the second question.

"Well then, should I show you around?" Copperkit nodded eagerly. _I'd rather explore camp myself._ He thought. _But maybe it is good to know where what is._

"Okay, thanks." He meowed and together with his sister he followed the small tortoiseshell.

Gowantree showed them the warriors den first. It was a big collection of bramble and yew bushes that was located on the left side of the entrance and stretched to a part of a hollow tree trunk. One opening of it was covered by the bramble and yew bushes that surrounded the whole camp; the other one was covered by a curtain of loose ivy and lichen.

"Inside of that trunk is Reedstar's nest." Gowantree explained to them. "Whenever she addresses the camp she does it from there." She said pointing to a wide branch that was growing out of the top of the hollow trunk. It was somehow cut off about a cat's height above the trunk. The cut face of the thick branch formed a sitting space that was big enough to have a cat sit on it comfortably.

Next to the trunk grew a big yew bush. It grew a little outside of the clearing so that the clear space under the branches formed a protected, separate, cave-like clearing where a cat could comfortably stand up and walk around. It was the medicine cat's den. If he looked closely he could see several moss lined nests sitting in a semi-circle along one side of the yew cave. The other side was hidden from his view but he guessed that it would hold the medicine cat's nest and the supplies.

To the medicine cat's den's left was another smaller yew bush that was shaped similarly. The small clearing was covered with a thick layer of the springy pine needles. The sides of it were lined with five soft looking moss-nests. In them lay five elderly looking cats. _This must be the elder's den then._

Next to the elder's was the nursery, a tightly sealed collection of brambles and yew with only one small entrance. He wondered if his den-mates were still sleeping.

Gowantree lead them farther to the fresh-kill pile that was sitting in front of a bramble bush on the right side of the apprentices den that looked like a smaller copy of the warrior's den and was located on the right side of the entrance tunnel.

During their tour he noticed that the whole camp was located in a wide dip that was surrounded by high pines and more shrubs. It would not be easily seen from outside, he guessed.

"Okay, now you have seen the camp. I will leave you free to explore on your own now." Gowantree said with a smile dancing in her eyes. _Finally._ But what could they explore now? Gowantree had shown them everything. Or not? He noticed a small tunnel between the elders den and the medicine' cats den.

"Where do think does this tunnel lead?" he asked his sister who was starring at the sky.

"Um, I don't know." Copperkit eyed the tunnel curiously.

"Let's find out then, shouldn't we?" he asked.

"Sure, let's go." She mewed excitedly and ran off. He quickly followed her. They stopped in front of the tunnel entrance. It was dark and it held a faint foul smell.

"Do you really think that we should go in there?" Copperkit asked, wrinkling her nose slightly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to but I will find out where this tunnel leads to." He declared and took a step forward.

"I will find out as well." Copperkit said and followed her brother down the tunnel. The further they walked the stronger the smell grew. He wrinkled his nose in disgust but he was determined to carry on. After a few moments they reached a small clearing that was surrounded by holly bushes. The smell was very strong now.

"Dark-kit, I think we found the dirt place." Copperkit mumbled, not sounding very triumphant. He eyed the claw marks and dug up earth and nodded.

"I think you're right. Let's get out of here." He decided and they quickly left the dirt-place and the tunnel behind them. Back in the clearing Copperkit sniffed at herself.

"Do you think I smell of that place." She asked. He shook his head.

"I don't know, I still have that scent in my nose." He answered. He started to lick his fur in case he _did_ have the scent stuck to it. Suddenly he felt a weight throwing him to the side. He twisted and saw that Copperkit had jumped on him.

"Hey, I was just cleaning myself." He protested.

"Mom will do that anyway so why bother?" Copperkit purred.

"Yes but it is annoying." He replied.

"So? We still don't have to do it ourselves." He considered that for a moment and came to the conclusion that Copperkit was right. He twisted quickly to get her off him and she landed on the ground.

"Hey." She mewed and jumped at him again. Together they rolled over the ground as one twisting and twirling heap of fur. They didn't even notice that their play fight carried out through the whole camp and that many warriors and apprentices had to jump out of their way. Not until they crashed into Lighttail.

Caught by surprise the medicine cat dropped the herbs she had been carrying.

"Be careful where you are rolling!" she called and grabbed Copperkit by the scruff to get her off him. He and Copperkit both looked around, confused.

"You just made me drop all my herbs." Lighttail meowed annoyed. Dark-kit looked up and met the angry stare of the medicine cat. He quickly dropped his gaze and mumbled and excuse.

"We're sorry." Copperkit mewed softly.

"I hope you are." Lighttail said giving them both a stern look. Then her gaze softened.

"You are Sandpelt's litter, aren't you? It is nice to see that you have opened your eyes and are out of the nursery. First time out, isn't it?"Without waiting for an answer she nodded to herself. Then she looked at them again and asked: "Would you like to help me carry the herbs to my den. You can have a look at it afterwards."

"Yes, please!" both of the kits exclaimed. They quickly picked up some of the herbs and followed Lighttail to the medicine cat's den. The herbs that Dark-kit had in his mouth carried a bitter and sour taste. He wrinkled his nose slightly to the sharp scent. When he entered the small clearing he was engulfed by a sudden darkness that he had to get used to first. He looked upwards and saw that the interwoven branches only let a small amount of light fall onto the clearing. He padded onwards to the back of the clearing and dropped his herbs next to Lighttail's then he turned to the medicine cat and asked:

"Is it always this dark in here?" He tried to imagine working in this place or staying here as a patient. He shook his head, too dark.

"No, not always. At sunhigh it is always lighter because the sun is directly overhead or in the season of green-leaf when the sun shines brighter." Dark-kit nodded considering this. Maybe the medicine cat's den might not be too bad after all. He guessed that he would manage to stay her for a while in case he got injured some time. Then a new question appeared:  
"Lighttail," the medicine cat who had explained Copperkit what herbs she had gathered turned to him. "What do we have now?"

"What do you mean?" Lighttail asked puzzled.

"What season?"

"Oh, I see. Right now we have leaf-fall." Lighttail answered.

"And what is that?" Dark-kit guessed that it had something to do with falling leaves, that was clear, but he had no clue if there was anything else that was important for this season.

"Well, it is the season when the leaves change their color from green to red, yellow or orange. The air gets colder and rain storms are more common. There is also less prey to hunt which makes leaf-fall a hard time. The cats get sick easily and because the plants don't grow in leaf-fall it is harder to cure them." That sounded like an unpleasant time. Dark-kit frowned. Why would there be any unpleasant seasons at all? He asked his question.

"Because the nature has to rest from the other seasons like new-leaf and green-leaf." Lighttail answered. Dark-kit thought for a moment. It did make sense, however it still wasn't fair.

"Dark-kit, Copperkit, where are you?" Sandpelt's voice sounded through the clearing.

"I guess you'd better go to your mother or else she'll worry too much." Lighttail said with a small wink. Dark-kit nodded and dashed off, Copperkit followed more slowly.

Sandpelt greeted them with purrs and licks as they came running to her.

"Did you have a fun time?" she asked. Copperkit nodded.

"Yeah, we saw the whole camp and then Lighttail showed us the medicine cat's den." Dark-kit decided to leave out the part with the dirt place because he felt that it would be too humiliating.

"That sounds nice." Sandpelt purred.

"Yes it does." He said, trying to stifle a yawn.  
"Do we really have to sleep now?" Copperkit asked, stumbling on her tired paws.

"Come on, curl up next to me." Sandpelt gestured them towards her belly with her tail.  
"But I'm not tired…" Dark-kit's sister mumbled barely audible while she lay down next to their mother and immediately drifted off to sleep. Dark-kit felt his eyelids grow heavy and curled up next to his sister.


	4. Chap3-Close Escape

_He was sick and tired of_ being restrained to camp the whole time. He wanted go out and explore the forest. Wanted to hunt and protect his clan's borders. Instead he had to stay put behind the protecting yew and holy bushes that lined their camp. He growled at one of Mossheart's kits. It had tried to creep up on him. When it heard him snarl it looked up into his glaring eyes and ran away with a frightened shriek. _Ugh, those kits are so annoying!_ He thought, ignoring the fact that he was still four moons himself.

He stood up and walked around camp, taking a look at the meager pile of fresh-kill. _They would have more if they would just let me and my sister hunt as well._ He knew that Copperkit shared his thoughts; he had heard her complain loudly more than once.

He turned around and headed towards the nursery, where his sister was still sleeping. _Nothing better to do anyway. It's way too cold._ He thought, distastefully glancing at the snow that covered the whole camp clearing and covered his paws. He shook it off and entered the warm gloom of the nursery.

He looked around and caught Mossheart's eyes. She shot him a very disapproving look, Ratkit hid behind her tail. He heaved a small, annoyed sigh and turned away, towards his sister. She lay curled up in a far corner of the nursery, alone; Sandpelt was nowhere to be seen. _Maybe gone hunting._ He felt jealousy prick his heart.

When he stood above Copperkit she stirred and opened one eye.

"What do you want?" she mumbled. He leaned in closer to her and whispered into her ear, so that Mossheart wouldn't hear.

"Let's leave camp." Copperkit opened both eyes immediately, hears pricked, eagerness showing in her whole body. Without further words Dark-kit turned around with his sister following him closely.

Stepping back out of the dark nursery was a true pain for the eyes. The sun had come out and reflected on the snow, letting it shine even brighter. Dark-kit had to squint for some time before he got used to the extreme brightness. Copperkit wasn't doing much better.

"So, how do we get out?" she asked.

"I think the best way would be slipping through that yew bush near the elders' den." Dark-kit suggested, he had thought about this many times. It was a perfect exit if you weren't bigger than a kit.

"Let's go then." Copperkit exclaimed. The two of them sneaked across parts of the clearing towards the elders den. They stopped at the yew bush and cast a quick look around. Nobody in sight that could see them. Dark-kit crouched down and squeezed through a small opening in the dense thicket of twigs and leaves. When he was through he turned around and wanted to call for Copperkit to follow when he saw that Brackenface had come towards them.

"Hello Copperkit," their uncle said. "What are you two up to?" _Foxdung, he saw me too._

"Uh, we were just, uhm, playing."Copperkit said. "We were playing with a – chestnut. And because Dark-kit kicked it into that bush he has to get it back out."

"Where did you get a chestnut from? There are no chestnut trees growing in our territory." Brackenface pointed out.

"I was talking to Fennelsong, complaining how bored we were just a few sunrises ago. She must have found it somewhere and thought of us, because this morning she came to us and gave us that chestnut." She lied smoothly. "Dark-kit did you find it yet?"

"Uh- no." he answered. "I think it's gone. It's somewhere deep inside that bush."

He crawled back out and met Brackenface's suspicious glance.

"Well, I guess you'll have to find yourself something else to play with, then." The golden-brown tabby turned around and walked away.

"That was close." Copperkit stated. He nodded. "We shouldn't try it again today. Brackenface will be watching us closely." She added. He sighed. It would have been their only escape from boredom.

He saw his cousin Otterpaw walk by with a scrawny mouse and a pigeon clamped in his jaws. He had just entered camp with a hunting patrol. Jealousy pricked his heart again. Otterpaw was barely two moons older than him and only a bit taller. He and his siblings Robinpaw and Dustpaw had moved into the apprentices' den roughly half a moon ago. Dark-kit had beaten every single one of them in their play fights. He wanted to be an apprentice so badly.


	5. Chap5-Starting Rise

„Dark-kit, Dark-kit! Wake up!" Something heavy pounced onto him and knocked the air out of his lungs. He thrashed around wildly and swatted his attacker in the face.

"Ouch, that hurt." He heard Copperkit complain. His eyes snapped open and he saw his sister eyeing him suspiciously.

"What?" he asked bewildered.

"Did you have to hit me?" Copperkit asked, irritated.

"I was just fending off the attacker, who could have known it was you?" he defended himself.

"Any normal cat with a brain bigger than an acorn." Copperkit retaliated. "We are the only ones in the nursery."

"How should I have known? Last time I checked I was merrily _sleeping _until you woke me by trying to squish out every bit of food I still had left in me!" he hissed, his back fur stood on end. Copperkit faced him, stiff-legged and growling. Suddenly she gave up her composure and sat down.

"Come on Dark-kit. We shouldn't be fighting today." She meowed. "It's a special day after all." He glared at her for a moment then he relaxed as well.

"You're right." He stopped forward and licked her ear. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." She purred and gently swatted her paw at his flank. He growled playfully and jumped at her. They rolled around the soft nursery floor in a heap. Suddenly Sandpelt entered, a squirrel hanging from her mouth.

"Aren't you a bit old for play fighting like this?" she purred. The siblings broke apart and faced their mother.

"We're not apprentices just yet." Copperkit mewed.

"Granted." Sandpelt said, sat down and ate her squirrel.

"We should get some too, I'm hungry." Dark-kit suggested. His sister nodded and they bolted out of the nursery towards the fresh-kill pile.

"What I need now is a good, juicy mouse." He declared and searched through the pile. Luckily new-leaf had just come upon them so prey was starting to run richer again.

After they both feasted on their prey, Copperkit and Dark-kit started to clean each other. They wanted to look really fabulous today. He was just running his tongue over his paw over his face when Reedstar jumped onto the High Branch and announced a clan meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the High Branch." Her call rang out over the whole clearing and soon the clan had gathered.

"Come on you two." Sandpelt's voice sounded from behind them. She gently nudged them toward the side of the gathered cats.

"Today I shall behold a special ceremony," Reedstar said. "One of my favorite ones, as it is." She purred.

"Would Copperkit and Dark-kit step forward, please?" Sandpelt gave her kits a gentle nudge and they stepped in front of the High Branch where Reedstar was towering. Copperkit seemed a bit nervous, her whiskers twitched with excitement. Dark-kit himself felt rather relaxed. Reedstar bend slightly forward and looked down on the two kits. Then she spoke:

"Copperkit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Copperpaw. Your mentor will be Smokesong. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you." Reedstar fixed her gaze on the newly appointed mentor.

"Smokesong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Dawnpelt, and you have shown yourself to be brave and clever. You will be the mentor of Copperpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Copperpaw stepped forward and touched noses with the gray, long-furred warrior. Both their green eyes glinted with delight. _Will you hurry on already?_

"Dark-kit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Bearclaw. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you." Newly named Darkpaw looked at the great, muscular, brown warrior. He was very satisfied with Reedstar's choice.

"Bearclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Rockpelt, and you have shown yourself to be strong and fearless. You will be the mentor of Darkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Darkpaw stepped towards the big tom and touched noses with him. He could hear the whole clan calling their new names.

"Copperpaw, Darkpaw, Copperpaw, Darkpaw!" He stood up tall, his head and tail raised high.

_Finally._


End file.
